Court admits Supreme Court’s judgment as exhibit 10 in Emefiele’s $4.5bn trial

A Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday, admitted a Certified True Copy (CTC) of a Supreme Court judgment as exhibit 10 within the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, over an alleged $4.5 billion fraud.

Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the doc after overruling objections by the defence throughout proceedings.

Emefiele is dealing with a 19-count cost filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), bordering on receiving gratification and making corrupt calls for whereas serving as CBN governor.

At the resumed proceedings, the prosecution witness, Gurumnaan, continued his evidence-in-chief below examination by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation.

Oyedepo, who appeared alongside B. B. Bilkisu, C. C. Okezie, Z. B. Atiku and F. Orilade, tendered the CTC earlier than the courtroom.

However, defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, opposed its admissibility, arguing that it couldn’t be thought to be a sound Supreme Court judgment as a result of it was signed by solely 4 justices, as an alternative of the standard panel of 5 or seven justices.

He additional argued that, based mostly on the testimony of the seventh prosecution witness (PW7), the choice arose from non-conviction proceedings and was irrelevant to the prosecution’s case.

Another defence counsel, Adeyinka Kotoye, SAN, aligned himself with Ojo’s submissions, including that the prosecution’s try and introduce the doc after proceedings had commenced was one other floor for rejecting it.

Responding, Oyedepo maintained that the CTC was a duly licensed copy of a Supreme Court resolution that happy Sections 102 and 104 of the Evidence Act.

He mentioned, “The presence of a lead judgment did not affect its admissibility,” and urged the courtroom to confess it.

In his ruling, Justice Oshodi mentioned, “The Supreme Court judgment was a public document and that the necessary certification requirements had been fulfilled.”

He consequently admitted it as Exhibit 10, saying: “The judgment of the Supreme Court is a public document and can be accessed through a CTC. A certified true copy of the judgment of the Supreme Court is admissible in evidence. However, the evidence given will not be used for or against any party.”

The courtroom adjourned the case till December 17 and 18, 2026, and January 11, 14 and 19, 2027, for continuation of trial.